We rank second for asylum seekers

IRELAND has the second highest number of asylum seekers per head of population in the European Union, according to latest figures.

Almost three in every 1000 people living in the State is an asylum seeker, it emerged as Ruud Lubbers, the UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees called on the EU to share more evenly the distribution of refugees.

Of the EU countries, only Austria has a greater number of asylum seekers per 1000 living within its borders than Ireland, which is tied at second place with Belgium on 2.7 per thousand.

But other figures show the percentage of asylum seekers granted refugee status is lower in Ireland than in most other European countries. Countries such as Portugal, Spain and Italy have only a tiny percentage of people living in their countries and applying for asylum.

Lubbers, in an interview in the United Kingdom at the weekend, said the EU should share the burden more evenly.

He said the UK has a heavier burden than others in the EU even though the numbers per head seeking asylum and living in the country, 1.5 per thousand, are less than Austria, Ireland, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Mr Lubbers called on the EU to find a solution and he said was prepared to coerce other EU countries that were not prepared to co-operate.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell has already signalled, with a raft of proposed measures, that he aims to take a hard line, in 2003, on the asylum seeker issue. Refugee groups are furious at some of the planned measures.

They claim fines for ferry companies, hauliers and airlines who carry undocumented asylum seekers will put lives at risk by directing potential refugees into the hands of criminal gangs. By the very nature of their circumstances, it is argued, many asylum seekers will have false documentation.

Another measure proposed by the Justice Minister is to cut all benefits for asylum seekers not in direct provision accommodation.